A UVF demand for stronger security measures against the IRA in the Republic should not be seen as an ultimatum or a threat, according to the peace campaigner Mr Chris Hudson.
Mr Hudson, a Dublin based trade union official, met a senior member of the UVF leadership last Thursday, and yesterday passed the paramilitary group's views on to a senior adviser to a Government Minister.
The Minister will inform Cabinet colleagues what the UVF had to say, Mr Hudson said yesterday.
A Government spokesman said yesterday that he had no knowledge of the passing of such a message, and declined to comment on its contents.
Other Government sources played down the significance of the message, saying that discussions take place on almost a daily basis between the Government and the Progressive Unionist Party - which is close to the UVF - at the Stormont talks.
According to Mr Hudson, the loyalist paramilitary told him his organisation was impressed by strong condemnations of the IRA made in the Dail last week by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Social Welfare.
"But to follow up these strong words they would like to see strong security measures taken against the IRA, in the same way as after the killings of Garda Jerry McCabe and Veronica Guerin", said Mr Hudson.
"The UVF don't believe there is a lack of Garda commitment, but they don't believe the resources are being mobilised in the same way as after the McCabe and Guerin killings. No stone was left unturned in those cases, yet bombs can be transported over the Border and they don't see the same level of commitment to stop that."
He said that the UVF leader indicated that the organisation still held view that it would be a political mistake to end its ceasefire. But further IRA actions - particularly any which targeted Protestant civilians - would bring huge pressure on loyalist paramilitaries to end the ceasefire.